Heat-dissipation system for preventing inrush current

ABSTRACT

A heat-dissipation system includes a shell, a fan, a latch, and a micro-switch. The fan includes a first connector and a second connector. The first connector includes a number of signal pins, a zero line pin, and a live line pin. The signal pins are used to transmit signals between a motherboard and the fan. The zero line pin and the live line pin are connected to a power supply. The zero line pin of the first connector is connected to a zero line pin of the second connector. When the latch is engaged with the shell, the micro-switch is turned on and the power supply supplies power to the second connector through the micro-switch and the zero and live line pins of the first connector. When the latch is not engaged with the shell, the micro-switch is turned off and the power supply is disconnected from the second connector.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to heat-dissipation systems, andparticularly relates to a heat-dissipation system for preventing inrushcurrent of a fan.

2. Description of Related Art

To replace a damaged fan from a server, users should first shut down theserver. If the server is not shut down, inrush current may cause damageto the fan.

Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present disclosure can be better understood withreference to the following drawing(s). The components in the drawing(s)are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placedupon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure.Moreover, in the drawing(s), like reference numerals designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an assembled, isometric view of an embodiment of aheat-dissipation system.

FIG. 2 is an inverted, exploded view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the heat-dissipation system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way oflimitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which likereferences indicate similar elements. It should be noted that referencesto “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily tothe same embodiment, and such references mean “at least one.” Thereference “a plurality of” means “at least two.”

FIGS. 1-3 show an embodiment of a heat-dissipation system of the presentdisclosure.

The heat-dissipation system comprises a shell 10, a fan 12, a latch 16,and a micro-switch 18.

The shell 10 includes a rectangular backplane 100, two side plates 106extending down from opposite sides of the backplane 100, and twosubstantially parallel mounting plates 102 extending down from thebackplane 100. The mounting plates 102 are connected between the sideplates 106. Each of the side plates 106 defines a vent 108. The vents108 of the side plates 106 are in alignment with each other. Thebackplane 100, the mounting plates 102, and the side plates 106cooperatively bound a receiving space 109 for receiving the fan 12. Thevents 108 communicate with the receiving space 109. A lower portion ofone of the mounting plates 102 defines an engaging hole 104. A first endof the latch 16 forms two pivots 162 is rotatably engaged in two pivotholes 126 defined in lower portions of opposite end boards 124 of thefan 12. A second end of the latch 16 forms a U-shaped elastic tab 164,and a protrusion 166 is formed on an outer surface of a distal end ofthe tab 164. When the fan 12 is received in the receiving space 109, thelatch 16 is rotated to allow the protrusion 166 to engage in theengaging hole 104. Therefore, the latch 16 can block the fan 12 toprevent the fan 12 disengaging from the shell 10.

The fan 12 includes a first connector 120 and a second connector 122.The first connector 120 is exposed through the backplane 100. Themicro-switch 18 is set on an inner surface of the latch 16. When thelatch 16 is not engaged with the mounting plate 102, the micro-switch 18is turned off. When the latch 16 is engaged with the mounting plate 102,the micro-switch 18 contacts the fan 12, and the micro-switch 18 isturned on.

The first connector 120 includes a number of signal pins, a zero linepin, and a live line pin. The signal pins are used to transmit signalsbetween a motherboard 30 and the fan 12. The zero line pin and the liveline pin are connected to a power supply 20. The zero line pin of thefirst connector 120 is connected to a zero line pin of the secondconnector 122.

The micro-switch 18 is connected between the live line pin of the firstconnector 120 and a live line pin of the second connector 122. The zeroline pin and the live line pin of the second connector 122 are connectedto a power module 126 of the fan 12. When the latch 16 is not engagedwith the mounting plate 102, voltages from the power supply 20 are notoutput to the second connector 122 of the fan 12. When the latch 16 isengaged with the mounting plate 102, voltages from the power supply 20are output to the power module 126 of the fan 12 through the secondconnector 122.

When the heat-dissipation system is in use, the fan 12 is received inthe receiving space 109 firstly, the signal pins of the first connector120 are connected to pins on the motherboard 30, and the zero line pinand the live line pin of the first connector 120 are connected to thepower supply 20. During the mounting process of the fan 12, because thelatch 16 is not engaged with the mounting plate 102, the micro-switch 18is turned off, and the power supply 20 is disconnected from the secondconnector 122. Therefore, the power supply cannot output voltage to thefan 12. When the latch 16 is engaged with the mounting plate 102, themicro-switch 18 is turned on, and the power supply 20 supplies power tothe second connector 122 through the micro-switch 187 and the zero andlive line pins of the first connector 120. In the process of connectingthe zero and live line pins of the first connector 120 to the powersupply 20, the micro-switch 18 is turned off, thus, there is no inrushcurrent generated to affect the fan 12. When the micro-switch 18 isturned on, because the zero and live line pins of the first connector120 are already connected to the power supply 20, inrush current willnot be generated.

When replacing the fan 12, the latch 16 is released from the mountingplate 102, and the micro-switch 18 is turned off The zero and live linepins of the first connector 120 are disconnected from the power supply20. The fan 12 cannot receive voltage from the power supply 20.

While the disclosure has been described by way of example and in termsof preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the disclosure isnot limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover variousmodifications and similar arrangements as would be apparent to thoseskilled in the art. Therefore, the range of the appended claims shouldbe accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all suchmodifications and similar arrangements.

What is claimed is:
 1. A heat-dissipation system, comprising: a shelldefining a receiving space; a fan detachably received in the receivingspace; a latch detachably engaged with the shell to block the fan andprevent the fan disengaging from the receiving space; a first connectorcomprising a zero line pin and a live line pin, wherein the zero linepin and the live line pin are connected to a power supply; a secondconnector comprising a live line pin and a zero line pin, wherein thezero line pin of the second connector is connected to the zero line pinof the first connector; a power module connected to the zero line pinand the live line pin of the second connector; and a micro-switch set onthe latch, wherein the micro-switch is connected between the live linepin of the first connector and the live line pin of the secondconnector; when the latch is not engaged with the shell, themicro-switch is turned off; when the latch is engaged with the shell,the micro-switch is turned on.
 2. The heat-dissipation system of claim1, wherein the shell comprises a backplane, two side plates extendingfrom two opposite sides of the backplane, and two mounting platesextending from the backplane and connected between the side plates; thebackplane, two mounting plates, and side plates cooperatively bound thereceiving space, and the side plates define two vents aligning with eachother and communicating with the receiving space.
 3. Theheat-dissipation system of claim 2, wherein the first connector isexposed through the backplane.
 4. The heat-dissipation system of claim1, wherein the first connector further comprises a plurality of signalpins used to transmit signals between a motherboard and the fan.